


Bloom

by scrawnyshrimp



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Author promises to stop praising Zoro, But they’re both trying, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I just like praising Zoro, Kissing, M/M, Or not, Roronoa Zoro is Bad At Feelings, Roronoa Zoro-centric, Why Did I Write This?, sanji is too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27958004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrawnyshrimp/pseuds/scrawnyshrimp
Summary: Zoro, the man who’d Sanji sought to hate his whole life, has now become the most loveliest person Sanji has ever seen.orAfter Thriller Bark, Sanji can’t stop thinking about a certain marimo.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 9
Kudos: 97





	Bloom

**Author's Note:**

> i just rewatched thriller bark arc with my brother and that scene at the end will forever traumatize me and im ok with it

Sanji found Zoro knelt over the grassy floor, watching the sea gently sway the boat. He woke up to a strange feeling, noticing that a certain moss head was missing from the room. So he ventured out to find him, unexpectedly finding him hurled up on the edge of the boat. The blonde quietly made his way towards the other, who was not aware of his presence. He placed his hand on Zoro’s shoulder, the other quickly grabbing his white sword and looked at Sanji, his eyes widened and grip loosened when he noticed who it was. Sanji managed to get a better view of his face at this position, he looked tired yet as if he’d had a million of adrenaline pumped into him, his eyes sticking out and sweat dripping down his face. His breath hitched, it was so uncommon for the swordsman to hesitate, or at least be seen hesitating.

The cook sat down with the green haired, both of them now staring at the sea that has carried them since the beginning. “You shouldn’t be up.” Sanji muttered, pulling out a cigarette out of his pocket. Zoro grunted in reply, nervously fidgeting with his hands. The blonde lit up his cigarette and let out a puff of smoke slip from his mouth, letting it drug him with ease. A moment of silence passed until Zoro decided to speak up.

“Can you….my….”

Sanji turned his head. “Can I what?”

Zoro looked away, gripping onto his pants before repeating his question. “Can you hold my hand…?”

“Can what now what?” Sanji gawked, was this even Zoro right now? He looked so vulnerable and small.

“Nevermind….” Zoro whispered as his cheeks flustered into a blood red color, he was about to get up and walk away but Sanji firmly slid his hand into the other’s grip. If Sanji smokes for his own comfort then who was he to deny someone’s method of their own comfort? Zoro pouted as his hand was held, it felt weird but familiar.

Sanji realized that Zoro’s hands were surprisingly warm, a bit thicker than his own but he was longer, not that Zoro had baby hands. He soothingly rubbed his fingers across Zoro’s knuckles, running across the bandages that were wrapped all over his body. “Did you have a nightmare?” Sanji questioned. The green haired raised his head a little before shaking his head no, but the cook could tell it was a lie, Zoro had a bad habit of denying help and Sanji really wanted to change that but he didn’t know how.

Denying help, the vivid flashback appeared into his mind where Zoro jabbed his sword on Sanji, making him faint. The last thing he saw was a man whose willing to give up his own dream for another, willing to give up everything he’s built for others, a man sacrificing himself and understanding that they’re at defeat at this moment. Everything blacked out after that, and no matter how long Sanji tried to reach for the light, he was still too late.

At first, Sanji expected to find himself despising Zoro his whole journey, the blonde first found him as a lousy stupid swordsman who was selfish. The boy barely did any work besides night watches, which probably explains why he’s constantly asleep but his sleeping schedule did not fit right. He was always so useless at serious times, sleeping during a goddamn storm, how is this moron still even alive?! Not only that, challenging himself to a man who he knows is superior in all the ways, only to get sliced nearly in half in the end. The only thing Zoro cared about was his pride, never of his nakama.

Or, at least that’s what Sanji thought.

Thriller Bark has changed his way of his view of Zoro, not only that, it has traumatized the both of them leaving a shadow to cast over the ones who knew. They claimed victory in the end, nearly everyone wasn’t aware of the reason why they had won so simply right after that warlord came. The bloody truth remained hidden from the rest, never to be spoken of, Zoro’s orders. Right when Sanji woke up, he was so happy to see Zoro still standing, unaware of the situation that lay upon him. He’ll never forget that eerie feeling when he saw blood splattered everywhere in the scene, his heart stopped beating when he realized where the blood came from.

He even grew more pissed when Zoro refused to speak of what happened, but the fear impaled Sanji when he heard how weak Zoro sounded, how he was seconds away from spilling his guts out. Sure, he’s dealt with horrible wounds from his previous fights, but this was just way too much for a normal being to handle. Sanji remembers how he carried Zoro to Chopper, noticing how Luffy felt so much better after passing him limits. He was on the verge from breaking down right there when he handed Zoro to Chopper, Sanji tried to take his pulse but he was panicking how long it took to beat it, how it was so weak and just barely there.

After Thriller Bark, Sanji learned what happened and everything just changed like water spilling onto a table, suddenly changing its course. The blonde unexpectedly found himself being nice to Zoro all the sudden. He was now noticing a lot of things about the other ever since, like how dedicated he was to achieve his dream, but always placing others first besides him. Zoro’s stupid stubbornness which makes him deny any help, not because of his pride but because he places other people first instead of him. His pride, it always came second since he places everyone else first. Sanji remembers the words that Zoro screamed out that day.

_ “LUFFY WILL BECOME THE KING OF PIRATES!” _

His will to have others succeed before him, after all, how can he achieve his dream if he can’t protect his captain’s? But the way Zoro calls Luffy captain, it’s a silent promise every time. Sanji realized that Zoro was not some dumb selfish swordsman, he was the loyal right hand man. He realizes how much trust his crew mates place on Zoro, and he takes responsibility because he was loyal. Zoro was probably the most loyal person Sanji knew, or the most loyal person to walk on this earth.

He was so much more than a man who had a dream, he was a fierce tiger allowing himself to be tamed by others because Zoro was willing to sacrifice everything for his crew, for his captain, for Sanji. The scene of a very bloody Zoro standing and only to say that nothing happened, willing to keep what happened to him a secret so it doesn’t worry everyone else, they won right? So what’s the use of bringing their victory down by his own defeat, that’s what Zoro thought. Sanji was confused on why he never told the others, but then soon understood why. Every time Sanji sees Zoro, he now finds himself finding more ways to adore the stupid marimo.

Zoro, the man who’d Sanji sought to hate his whole life, has now become the most loveliest person Sanji has ever seen.

“My sensei used to hold my hand whenever I woke up after my friend’s death.” Zoro mumbled, snapping Sanji out of his thoughts. The blonde realized that he barely knew anything about Zoro’s past, he was interested in what brought determination to Zoro, where and how his will came of. “We made a promise right before she died.” Zoro scratched his head hesitantly, which made Sanji tighten his hand on Zoro’s. The green haired turned to face Sanji.

“Sanji.”

His name coming out of Zoro’s mouth sent shivers down his spine, it was only fair for him to address the other properly too. “Yea, Zoro?”

“I think I died for a moment there.”

Sanji felt his breath hitched, his eyes widening as he processed what Zoro just told him. “Died…?” He stuttered out, his gut dropping as if it were an anvil, Sanji grabbed onto Zoro’s shoulders and slightly shook him. “How are you alive then?!” He quietly shouted, making the other flinch. Sanji suddenly became scared of how he made the strongest man he knew flinch, he quickly let go, afraid that he’d scare or hurt him more. Zoro, the most loyal and strongest man he knew besides his captain and Zeff, died on the battlefield and came back alive. And Sanji was just supposed to believe that?

“I met Kuina.” Zoro plainly spoke, he turned his head to face the ocean. “I really didn’t believe in the afterlife… but she was there, cook. She told me that I can’t go yet until I complete both of our dreams.” The other curled into himself again, the vast sea reflecting on his eyes. Sanji gasped in shock and adoration when he realized that he wasn’t just becoming the best swordsman for himself, but for someone who was important in his life. Perhaps Zoro was way more loyal than Sanji thought he was, the green hair’s dream wasn’t just a dream, it was a promise. Zoro was surprisingly great at keeping promises, he promised his captain to never be defeated and promised someone to achieve their dream.

Sanji suddenly leaned into Zoro, placing his lips onto the other. He was pleased when Zoro’s lips were soft just like how he expected, the blonde realized what he was doing and backed away but his face was pulled back into the kiss, it was so innocent yet contained so many feelings. Sanji closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the kiss, but something was off…

He pulled away and put his hand to keep Zoro in place. “Are you holding your breath…?”

Zoro flustered a bright red, making himself look like a strawberry. “No!” He babbled. Sanji started to snicker before laughing, tears forming at his eyes from the hilarious scene upon him.

“Is this your first kiss or something?!”

“Yes stupid!”

Sanji laughed even harder. He wiped his tears away and quieted down. “Okay, seriously stop lying.”

“I’m not, stupid cook.”

“...no..?” The blonde froze in shock, oh god, he really did laugh at Zoro for being a bad kisser and not only that made fun of him for not kissing anyone before.

“I just...didn’t have time to do any of this.” Zoro barked, his teeth grinding each other. “People were either too meeky or too aggressive, I didn’t like any of that.”

“This is seriously your first kiss?”

“YES! STUPID, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REPEAT MYSELF!?” Zoro shouted, grumbling in embarrassment. Sanji turned around to make sure no one was looking or awake, he turned back to face Zoro, his hand cupped his cheek as he leaned in again. Lips met lips, this time Zoro wasn’t holding in his breath, he was shockingly already getting the hang of this. Zoro’s hands found their way to Sanji’s hair, fumbling with it as he turned his head into a different angle to kiss Sanji again.

Thriller bark has changed his way of his view of Zoro, and maybe it started to bloom something new as well.

**Author's Note:**

> hi! here’s my second post about one piece  
> sorry for the late af posting  
> but im planning a long story soon so i hope to at least get more than three chapters done with it so i can post it  
> but for now have two bickering boys worried for each other


End file.
